An implant of the type mentioned hereinabove is described in DE 20 2008 009 344 U1 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. In a basic position, it can be introduced into the body through a unilateral point of entry from an introduction-side and be positioned in the inter-vertebral space between the spinous processes. By transferring the implant from the basic position into a spread position, the mutual spacing of the supporting surfaces increases so that the spinous processes resting on supporting surfaces can be pushed apart to a greater or lesser extent that are used for stabilizing neighbouring vertebral bodies relative to each other. For the lateral stabilization of the upper and the lower vertebral body, the implant comprises at least one upper supporting element as well as a lower supporting element, which can each support spinous processes on the introduction-side i.e. from the side from which the implant is introduced into the body. The supporting elements are likewise spread relative to each other when transferring the implant from the basic position into the spread position whereby, outgoing from the inter-vertebral space, they respectively approach the spinous processes. In corresponding manner, the implant may comprise at least one upper supporting element as well as at least one lower supporting element which can laterally support the upper and the lower spinous process on the body side i.e. from the side of the spinous processes remote from the introduction-side.
An object underlying the present invention is to further develop a surgical apparatus in such a way as to improve the handling thereof.